WHAT CO-OPERATION STANDS FOR.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1885, 20 October 1913, Page 3

WHAT CO-OPERATION STANDS FOR.

<J, EARL GREY'S FORECAST. ROAD TO INDUSTRIAL HARMONY. "No one who is accustomed to mark the trend and significance of events will, we aro sure, bo disposed to dispute that the Ninth International Co-opera-tive Congress, which met at' Glasgow, is a very considerable portent," says the "Morning Post." "Tho Congress has grown in less than twenty years to represent over 20,000,000 of members, belonging to 130,000 co-operative societios in twenty-four different countries. The movement which it stands for is, therefore, ono which cannot be left out of account in any survey of social and industrial progress. "Delegates were present from all parts of tho world. France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland each stmt ono hundred co-operatiyo delegates, and Great Britain was represented by over 800: the United States, Russia, Holland, Scandinavia, Spain, Italy, tho Balkans, and Rumania sent a number of co-operators, and it was expected that India and Japan would do so during the progress of the meetings." Earl Grey, late Governor-General of Canada ; who is honorary president of tho Alliance, gave a notable address in praise of co-operation. Crowth of Co-operation. "Since the opening Congress in 1895/' Lord Grey said, '.'the Alliance has witnessed a lemarkable and most satisfactory growth in the loyal and enthusiastic acceptance of co-operative ideals by increasing numbers of the peoples of Europe and of the English-speaking countries at Home and overseas. And now we meet in our ninth Congress, fortified and encouraged by our past experience, and conscious that it is in our power, if we are only sufficiently in earnest, to secure the triumphant realisation of future co-operative international commonwealth, which, we believe, will ono day be co-equal and sive with the whole civilised world. The great growth in the co-operative movement in Germany, England, Denmark, Ireland, and elsewhere since tho date when we laid the foundation-stono of tho Alliance justifies our confident expectation that the days of a new social order arc at hand. "Although wo may be separated from each other by differences in race, language, and religion, wo stand here today as one people under tho same flag of co-operative fraternity, carrying in our hearts the same ideals, animated by the same'hopes, and pressing forward towards the same end. namoly, tho removal of every removable hindrance which may interfero with or impede the march .-of the people along those roads which in their respective opinions lead to tho highest and noblest of attainable developments. The Alliance does not stand for any rigid or uniform application of tho co-operative principle. The international co-operative commonwealth which wo are endeavouring to create stand for community of principles and for unrestricted liberty in tho way in which these common principles shall be applied by tho people primarily concerned. What Go-operation Means. "What are tho essential principles which aro common to co-operators all over the world? First-, that tho cc-op-crative movement shall not bo a class movement, nor a political movement, nor a sectarian movement. It is a movement of a purely social and voluntary character, which finds ite origin and its strength in the natural and spontaneous promptings of the individual heart. Tno movement is not of tho nature of u Trust or combino or of any other organisation. On the contrary, tho co-operative movement in its freo and-natural operation, unfettered by any State control and open to all, offers tho most practical and effective safeguard that can be obtained against tho possible tyranny of Trusts and other organised minorities. It is a movement open to anyone and everyone of whatever sect or political persuasion he may bo who seeks to ameliorate his position by his own exertions, and in such a way that tho whole community will benefit. ■ "What is the nature of the benefit which the application of the co-opera-tivo principle to our industrial system claims to offer'to the people? The application of the co-operative principlo to our industrial life has proved in England, tho United States, France, Germany, Denmark, and Ireland, that, by tho substitution of organised distribution for unorganised distribution, by the substitution of co-operative' buying for individual buying, of co-oporativo transportation anil marketing for individual selling, and of co-operativo use of power for the individual uso of expensive machinery, the wants' of both producer and consumer can bo met more effectively, and at less cost. In this way it secures to the consumer a reduction in the cost of living and a greater command of, not only the necessaries but the comforts and conveniences of life —a most material consideration in this ago of rising prices. And to the producer it secures a substantial increase in tho amount of net profits available for distribution, or, in otlier words, an increase of the fund from which alone can be drawn those higher wages which we all desire to secure for the underpaid workers of the civilised world. "Co-operation • means tho elimination of every unnecessary middleman. Every middleman not required by a wise and practicable system of co-operativo organisation cannot be regarded in any other light than that of a parasite. The vital interests of society call for liis removal, and co-operation shows how lie can be removed. Tho principle of co-operation requires that the services of every necessary middleman shall be adeouately and honourably remunerated, but it also requires that every -unnecessary toll taken from an article on its way from the producer to tho consumer shall bo removed. Moral Advantages. "But, the benefits which co-operation has it in its power to confer upon our industrial communities aro not only material in tlioir character. Tho moral advantages which flow from tho_ success- ( fill application of the co-operative P r jn- , ciplo to our industrial and social life aro not less conspicuous or important. I do not wish to descant upon the deplorable antagonism which, unfortunately, most undoubtedly exists between | Capital and Labour. Suffice it to say that our present industrial organisation is responsible for much selfishness, sus- 1 picion, and hatred, and consequent in- •' efficiency, with its resultant sequel of ( poverty and discontent. The wants or j society can never bo adequately met so j long as tho twin forces of Ca.pital and , Labour aro warring against each otlior . within tho bosom of a single State. _ f "Co-operation shows how tho warring forces of Labour and Capital can be reconciled with advantages to _ all con- . cerned, the value of which it is impos- i sible to over-estimate. It remains for all who have at heart tho well-being ( of their fellow-men to promote as far i as they can the transition from present J conditions to a social state, in which S tho spirit of fraternal co-operation , shall provail." "Coming from a statesman of Earl Grey's wide and ripe experience,_ the ' whole-hearted belief ho expressed in the ; possibilities of co-operation is," says the "Times," "stimulating indeed at a ( timo when other movements of a less { peaceful character are pressed moro ag- t etoseivob' ÜBOii oui attention. I '-